Submarine rescue device



Sept. 17, 1929. Y. SHIMIZU SUBMARINE RESCUE DEVICE Filed March 8, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTQR Y05H/ 5711/ 1/20 BY WITNESSES ATTORNEY Sept. 17, 1929. Y, s zu SUBMARINE RESCUE DEVICE Filed March 8, 1928 a Sheets-Sheet 2 I 13 I l w. v RI 0M M TM R N 0 ES T V T mm A Sept. 17, 1929. vY. SHIMIZU 1,728,808

SUBHARINE RESCUE DEVICE Filed March 8, 1928 s sheets-sheet s WITNE SSES "M Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES YOSHI SHIMIZU, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

SUBMARINE RESCUE DEVICE Application filed March 8, 1928. Serial No. 260,170; I

This invention relates to rescue devices for ships, and particularly to an improved device for rescuing persons confined in a submarine which has been submerged and which cannot of itself, rise to the surface.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved simplified construction where by persons in a submerged vessel, as for instance, a submarine, may be readily released and elevated to the surface of the water with out permitting an appreciable amount of water entering the submarine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rescue device for submarines, whereby means presenting a float and communication pipes is provided and associated with a release mechanism for releasing one or more men simultaneously at a point adjacent the communicating means so that a ready elevation of the released persons may be made.

A further object, more specifically, is to provide a release device for submarines, wherein reciprocating cylinders are provided for receiving persons interiorly of the submarine and discharging them exteriorly.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing part of a submarine and the upper part of the rescue device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the ejecting or releasing device for ejecting or releasing persons from a subvmarine.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through Figure 2, approximately on line 3-3.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 2 on line. 44.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 2 on line 5-5.

Figure 6 is a sectional view with certain parts eliminated, indicating the deviceshown in Figure 1 ready to eject or release a person.

Figure 7 shows the same device as illus- 4 trated in Figure 6, but with the parts in an ejected or released position.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the parts partly moved back to the position shown in Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but with the parts moved almost to the position shown in Figure 6.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings I by numerals, 1 indicates a container connected to a submarine 2. This container is adapted to normally contain a float 3 and certain associated parts as fully described in my copending application for signal device for submarines. However, the container 1 is adapted to contain the float 8 and mechanism is provided for releasing the lid 4: sothat the float ,3 may move automatically to the surface of the water. The float contains signal mechanism and means for admitting air into the submarine as disclosedin my former application for patent, and in addition, carries a cable 5. This cable may be strong. and. heavy, though preferably it is light in view of the fact that one end must be carried to the surface. p

Preferably the cable 5 isdesigned to'be used in connection with arescue ship, and the rescue ship is adapted to cut the cable 5 and secure one end of a large cable thereto, I and 7 5 then pull the large cable down and around the pulley 6 carried by the submarine, whereby a heavy strong cable is presented. Whether the strong cable is used as described,or I whether the smaller cable is utilized, the'action is the same, namely, a person leaving the ejecting or releasing cylinder 7 will grasp the cable 5 and be pulled to the surface of the water quickly by someone at the surface operating the cable As is well known, there is considerable pressure at a comparatively shallow depth, asofor instance, one hundred feet and, consequently, special means "have been provided whereby the discharge cylinder 7 may move outwardly against the, action of the water and a person may move there- I i from and grasp cable 5 and be quickly pulled to the surface. 8

Preferably, the submarine is providedwith 9 a helmet which will contain a small supply w of air, as for instance, enough to supply a person with air for three, or four minutes, This will beample for the person escaping I to leave the cylinder Timmediately, grasp the cable 5 and be pulled to the surface of the water.

In mounting the cylinder 7, the submarine 2 is provided with an upturned annular flange 8 over which a lid 9 snugly fits. Ordinarily, the weight of the water keeps the lid 9 rigidly in place, but when the device is not in use, spring pressed catches 10 are hingedly connected with the lid and are positioned to snap beneath the outer shell of the submarine 2. It will be noted that a depending flange 11 is arranged beneath the depending flange of lid 9, said depending flange 11 being adapted to center a stationary cylinder 12. This cylinder is provided with an annular flange 13 at the bottom, and to this a frame 14 is bolted. It is to be understood that the framel may be unbolted and stored away at some convenient point and the stationary cylinder 12.

a r. r. I 1 6C 11 c c v A 1 ma be also 1'611OV l and s ored awa when not needed. In this way, one apparatus may be used for a number'of'openings at different parts of the submarine, there being one opening covered by a lid 9 for each of the containers 1 and associated parts. The releasing cylinder 7, when moved to the outer position as shown in Figure 1, automatically raises the cover 9, which cover usually remains on the cylinder, though this is not essential. The cylinder 7 is provided with an opening 15 through which a person may move as shown in Figure 1, said opening being free to the exterior of the submarine when the cylinder is in its elevated or outer position, and shut off from the water when in an inner position as shown in Figures 2, 6 and 9. Arrangedin the releasing cylinder 7 is a piston 16 through which a shaft 17 extends. of shaft 17 is'secured to a plate 18 supported by suitable ball bearings 19 on the upper sur face of piston 16. A metallic covering 20 completely encloses plate 19 and associated parts. A plate 21'is rigidly secured to shaft 17 below piston 16 and bears against piston 16 through the ball bearings 22. In this way,

of the releasing cylinder 7. Suitable ball bearings 26 and 27 function to permit the plates 2% an d 25 tofreely rotate without rotating the cylinder 7. A manually actuated connecting pin 28 is provided and normally carried by plate 25. /Vhenthis pin is in the position shown in Figure 2, the cylinder 7 will rotate with thetubular shaft 23, but when pin 28 is lowered out ofengagement with the bottom of cylinder 7,'cylinder 7 will r m'erely'move up or down as the case may be.

The upper end From Figure 2 it will be noted that the shaft 17 is jointed, but this is merely in order that the same may be taken to pieces or readily stored. The same is true of the tubular shaft 23. The shaft 17 near the lower part, is provided with threads 29 which slide in the tubular shaft 23 ordinarily. A sleeve 30 is also rotatably mounted in a suitable recess in the shaft 23 and is threaded onto the threaded portion 29. An aperture is made in sleeve 30 and also in the tubular shaft 23 so that when ever desired, the pin 31may connect sleeve 30 with shaft 23 so that the sleeve will rotate with the shaft and thus cause the shaft 17 to be elevated independently of shaft 23. When it is desired to elevate shaft 23, a pin is inserted into the apertures 32 and 33 formed respectively in the sprocket wheel 34: and tllG'Sllitfl? 23. Sprocket wheel 34 is threaded onto shaft 23 and is held in a given position y stops 35 and 36 carried by the frame 14. A chain 37 is carried by the sprocket wheel 3% and fits over thesprocket wheel 38 carried by the motor 39. Motor 39 is preferably an electric motor, and when it is rotated, sprocket wheel 34 will be rotated. By the use of the pin 31 and the use of a pin in the apertures 32 and 33,, either shaft may be elevated to produce the results hereinafter fully de' scribed.

As shown in Figure 3, the stationary cylinder 12 is provided with a door or opening 40 through which a person is adapted'to when entering cylinder 7. However, before a person can enterinto cylinder 7, pin 28-must be positioned as shown in Figure'2, and the parts rotated until they are in registry as shown in Figure 3. hen the parts are in registry as shown in Figure 3 and the other parts are substantiallyas shown in' Figure 6 with the piston 16 near the bottom of cylinder 7. a person may crawl into thecylinder 7 which is made of a proper size to receive a full grown person. The cylinder 7 is then'rotated until it is out of registry with the door or opening flO. After this has been done, preferably pin 28 is removed, though this is not essential. After pin 23 has been removed, motor 39 is started. When motor 39 is start ed, it is assumed that there is no pin in aper-,

tures 32 and 33, while preferably pin 31 is in position as shown in Figure 2. As the motor functions, sprocket wheel as will be rotated and shaft 23 will be moved upwardly and, consequently, will move cylinder-'7 upwardly or outwardly to the position shown in Figure 1. Shaft 17 is rotating during this procedure, but the piston 16 is not rotating. As soon as the parts have reached their outer position as shown in Figure 1, motor 39 is stopped an'dthe person in the cylinder will crawl out as shown in Figure 1, grasp cable 5 or some other cable, andbe quickly elevated to the surface of thecwater. As soon as the person has left cylinder 7, motor 39 is again started but a pin is first inserted into theaperturcs 32 and 33, whereupon shaft 23 will rotate but will not move longitudinally. However, shaft 17 will move longitudinally until it assumes the position shown in Figure 8, thus ejecting the water from the lower part of the cylinder 7 When the shaft 17 has been thus elevated to a point near the outer shell of the submarine 2, the motor 39 is stopped, pin 31 removed, and a pin inserted into the apertures 32 and 33. After this has been done, motor 39 is reversed and the cylinder 7 is moved downwardly, carrying with it the piston 16 and associated parts. This movement is continued until the parts assume the position shown in Figure 9 and then the pin is removed from apertures 32 and 33 and pin 31 positioned as shown in Figure 2. Motor 39 is again started and shaft 1'? moved downwardly to the starting point or positioned as shown substantially in Figures 2 and 6.

If a second person is to be released, pin 28 v submarine to leave, they are released or passed out of the submarine as just described, except the last man who has more diiiiculty than the others. When the last man is leaving, pin 28 may be left in position, and after the man has gotten into the cylinder 7, he reaches down with a rod or other article and turns on the switch of motor 39, and then drops the rod. This will cause the shaft 23 to move upwardly as the pin connecting the same with ratchet wheel 34E has been removed. As soon as the door 15 has been suliiciently opened, the last man must crawl out through the door as quickly as possible as the parts are rotating and there is no one inside of the submarine to stop the rotation. This may be readily done as the movement of the shaft 23 upwardly is comparatively slow and, consequently, it will be possible for the last man to grasp the cable 5 and be elevated to the surface of the water.

-What I claim is:

1. Al submarine rescue device, including a stationary cylinder open at the top and po sitioned principally within the submarine and having the top section projecting through the hull of the submarine, a lid normally fitting tightly over said top section for closing said open end, a release cylinder fitted into the stationary cylinder, both of said cylinders having passageways, means for moving the release cylinder so that the passageways are in registry whereby a person may enter the release cylinder, means for forcing the release cylinder to a point exteriorlyof the Subp 7 marine whereby a person may move out of the release cylinder through the passageways therein to a point exteriorly of the submarine, and means arranged adjacent the release cylinder for elevating a person to the,

submarine for moving said release cylinder out through said opening in the submarine, whereby a person in the release cylinder may escape to a point exteriorly of the submarine.

3. In a submarine rescue device, a release cylinder having apassageway, a piston ar ranged in the release cylinder, a hollow shaft connected with said release cylinder, means for operating the hollow shaft for causing the shaft to move said release cylinder to a point exteriorly of the submarine, means for moving said pistonto a point substantially in line with the bottom of said passageway, and means functioning to move said piston and release cylinder simultaneously back to a point Within the submarine. r

Signed at New York inthe county of New York and State of New York this 3rd day of March, A. D. 1928. k

- YOS HI, SHIMIZU. 

